New Navy Chief Khondkar Misbah Ul Azim: A Brief Introduction

Khondkar Misbah Ul Azim joined the Bangladesh Navy on January 1, 1987. After completing training with special distinction in the Royal Malaysian Navy, he was commissioned in the Executive Branch on July 1, 1989. He secured first place in the seniority and merit list of the 87-A batch.

In his academic career, he earned a PhD in Maritime Governance from Bangladesh University of Professionals (BUP). Additionally, he obtained three Master's degrees in Strategic, Defense, and Operational Studies from home and abroad, including an MPhil. He is also a distinguished graduate of the Defense Services Command and Staff College (DSCSC) and the Armed Forces War Course at the National Defense College (NDC). During his student life, he received the President's Chancellor Award for securing a place in the combined merit list in SSC and HSC examinations.

In a career spanning nearly four decades, he has served in various important command, staff, and leadership positions in the Bangladesh Navy. He has served as Commander of the Chattogram Naval Area, Commander of the Dhaka Naval Area, Commander of Submarines, and Commandant of the Bangladesh Naval Academy, as well as Director (Naval Operations) and Director (Naval Plans) at the Naval Headquarters.

Additionally, he was the Commanding Officer of BNS Omar Faruk, BNS S R Amin, BNS Nirbhoy, BNS Saikat, and the naval base BNS Titumir. He has also served as an instructor at the Bangladesh Naval Academy, DSCSC, and NDC.

On the international stage, he served in United Nations peacekeeping missions in Lebanon and the Democratic Republic of Congo. Most recently, while serving as Bangladesh's Ambassador to Oman, he played a significant role in developing bilateral relations between the two countries and the welfare of expatriate Bangladeshis.

In recognition of his contributions to his career, he has received the Navy's highest peacetime honor, the 'Navy Medal (NBP)', the 'Naval Proficiency Medal (NPP)', the National Integrity Award, and the National Scout Award (Silver Hilsha Medal). He has also received the Chief of Naval Staff's Commendation Insignia three times. He has also received the 'Birshreshtha Ruhul Amin' Award, the Best Individual Research Paper Award, and recognition as the best student in Anti-Submarine Warfare training.

Alongside his professional duties, he is a writer and researcher. His multiple research articles on maritime security, defense, and naval strategy have been published in various renowned journals. Among sports, he has a special interest in golf, basketball, chess, and table tennis. He is fluent in Bengali and English and has practical proficiency in Malay and French.

In his personal life, Khondkar Misbah Ul Azim is married to Begum Nurtaj Azim. They are the parents of two daughters.